"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." - Kahlil Gibran

How to Stay Healthy Through the Holidays

It is now the middle of November and we are quickly approaching holiday season.

Schedules get busier, the weather gets colder (for many of us), social calenders fill up and we are encouraged to eat and drink to excess during this time.

And often many people find themselves struggling with colds, flus, exhaustion and generally not feeling well.

The main reason people will get sick during the holidays is because they are not resting enough and they are eating and drinking to excess.

So the easy answer of how to stay healthy during the holidays is to make sure you are getting enough rest and ensure that you don't drink or eat to excess.... easier said than done, right?

Okay, so here are a few strategies you can employ during the busy holiday season to support your body and mind as much as possible to keep you healthy, energized and strong. Use these strategies as you move through all the social engagements and busy schedules that often come with the holidays.

Calender Planning: As your social calender fills up, consciously schedule in quiet time - full days, evenings or even just a few hours whenever you can. Use this time to do things that rejuvenate you - napping, meditating, exercise, hiking, reading, quiet time with family, etc.

Water: Upon waking in the mornings drink a full glass of good quality water with a squeeze of fresh lemon. About an hour before you attend any social functions or sit down to a big dinner drink another glass of water. If you are consuming alcohol, drink a glass of water for every glass of alcohol you consume (an easy way to do this during a party setting is to always have a glass or bottle of water with you and to take sips of water each time you sip your cocktail). The idea here is to start your day by hydrating and to continue hydrating your system as the day continues. Keeping yourself properly hydrated is one of the most important ways to stay healthy and energized.

Food: There are often big meals during the holidays not to mention endless cakes, cookies, pies and candies. Although these may taste good they really do nothing to keep you healthy. My advice here is to eat healthy and nutrient dense snacks BEFORE you go to any social engagement or sit down to a big dinner. The idea is to feed your body with nutrient dense foods before you attend any social functions so that you will be satisfied and less likely to overindulge in less healthy food. Doing this means that you will be able to spend more time socializing with loved ones as you will be eating less. You will also have more energy and much less down/tired/sick time which is a huge plus for everyone.

Healthier Food Options: Try making some of those old holiday favourites in healthier ways .. further down in this e-zine is a recipe for healthy pumpkin pie.

Sunshine: Each day step outside and allow the sun to grace your skin and eyes. The sun provides important nutrients for our health and getting some every day will go a long way to keeping you on a healthy track.

Breathing: No matter how hectic your day becomes always remember to pause and take nice deep breaths. This will oxygenate your cells, calm you down and keep you balanced. Staying balanced will allow you to take everything in stride and with a smile on your face.

Gift Ideas

Think about going as local as possible this year when you do your gift giving. By supporting local and small companies you will help your own community to grow and prosper.

When you buy from big corporations you take money away from the small independent companies that are working hard to prosper right in your own area.

Always remember that you are voting with your money - every time you make a purchase you cast a vote. Companies pay attention to what we buy and adjust accordingly.

It is all of our duty to SHOP WITH AWARENESS - only buy from companies that you truly want to support, companies that are beneficial to our health and the health of our planet.

Buy from people right in your area that are selling great items and/or that make homemade crafts, body care products, food items, jewelry, clothing, etc. etc.... or make these things yourself!

I feel that many of us take our immense abundance for granted. Most of us have many things in our home that are in perfect condition and that we never use. Put some thought into the people you are giving gifts to - there may be someone on your list that would love and use something that you already have and that you don't use. Share your wealth.

Recommended Product of the Month - Aromatherapy Whiffer

This is one of my absolute favourite items.

It is a small wooden pendant that you wear around your neck. You unscrew the pendant and inside there is a small piece of cotton onto which you put drops of your favourite essential oil.

As you wear the whiffer the gorgeous scent from the essential oil wafts into the space around you, purifying the air you are breathing. Good quality essential oils are anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-viral so it is easy to see that this is not only a beautiful item but it is very healthy and functional too.

I wear my whiffer anytime I am going to be in a crowd or in a closed in public space such as an airplane. I can't even tell the amount of times that I have been so grateful to have this little item with me.

If I am ever somewhere where the air is particularly bad (someone sits next to me who has been smoking, wearing too much chemical perfume or hasn't showered lately, on a car exhaust filled street, walking through a place where chemical air fresheners have been used, etc.) I can easily hold the whiffer right up to my nose and use it to filter the air I am breathing.

These whiffers are very well made and will last a long long time. The inserts only need to be changed when you want to use a different scent, otherwise you can re-apply drops several times before changing. I often will create my own scent by putting a couple drops of 2-3 different oils on the insert.

Recipe of the Month - Healthy Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie was always a favourite in our home when I was growing up. My Mom would always make homemade pumpkin pie for dessert after our holiday meals.

Recently I was inspired by a recipe for a raw vegan pumpkin pie. It is actually much easier and less labour intensive to make than the traditional pumpkin pie ... and it taste amazing!!!!

I love the pumpkin pie filling part so much that I will often just make that and serve it as pumpkin pie pudding.

I would also love for you to watch the original video that inspired me to make this recipe. Click the link below for the full recipe and for the fun video by Kristina from Rawfully Organic where you can see her all dressed up as a pumpkin as she makes this scrumptious pie.